Scottish and English Clubs Discover European Play-Off Opponents Following UEFA Draw

Scottish football clubs Rangers and Hearts discovered their potential opponents for the Europa League play-off round following Monday's UEFA draw, with the Conference League serving as a secondary route should either side fail to progress. Brighton, which finished eighth in the English Premier League, will face Romanian outfit CFR Cluj or Norwegian club Tromso in the Conference League play-off stage.

Rangers Pathway

Rangers, managed by Derek McInnes, must first overcome Polish side Jagiellonia Bialystok in their third qualifying round this week before facing the play-off draw winners. Should the Glasgow club advance past the Polish opponents, they will encounter either Larne of Northern Ireland or Iberia Tbilisi of Georgia in the Europa League play-offs, with the opening leg scheduled for August 20 at Ibrox. If Rangers fall at the third qualifying hurdle, they will drop into the Conference League play-off round to face either FK Jablonec or FC RFS.

Hearts and Brighton Confirmed

Hearts face a more immediate challenge, as the Edinburgh club must first dispose of Portuguese champions Benfica in their third qualifying tie before confronting either AGF Aarhus of Denmark or Sabah of Azerbaijan in the Europa League play-offs. The potential Hearts play-off would begin on August 20 at Tynecastle Park, with the return fixture on August 27. A Conference League option awaits Hearts as well, involving either Paide or SK Rapid should they lose to Benfica.

Brighton's path is more straightforward: the English side will contest the Conference League play-off round in August, hosting the second leg on either August 20 or 27. This timing creates a scheduling conflict, as Brighton's opening Premier League fixture against Aston Villa is set for August 23. Both Scottish clubs have reportedly requested that their domestic league fixtures between Europa League play-off legs be postponed to accommodate fixture congestion.

Guarantee of European Football

All three clubs—Rangers, Hearts, and Brighton—are guaranteed continued participation in European competition this season regardless of their immediate outcomes. The two-tier system ensures that losers of the third qualifying round progress to Conference League qualification, providing additional opportunities for revenue and squad development. The August schedule will prove demanding for all involved, with multiple fixtures compressed into a short timeframe across three different continental competitions.